Method of manufacturing metal composite material, metal composite material, method of manufacturing heat dissipating component, and heat dissipating component

ABSTRACT

A method of manufacturing a metal composite material includes applying a mechanical impact force to a carbon material and a metal powder at such an intensity as capable of pulverizing the carbon material, thereby adhering the carbon material to a surface of the metal powder.

This is a divisional application of co-pending prior application Ser.No. 13/315,546, filed on Dec. 9, 2011, which is incorporated byreference herein in its entirety. This application claims foreignpriority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) to Japanese Application 2011-014183filed on Jan. 26, 2011, which is incorporated by reference herein in itsentirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a method of manufacturing a metalcomposite material, a metal composite material, a method ofmanufacturing a heat dissipating component, and a heat dissipatingcomponent.

RELATED ART

In recent years, along with improvement in the performance and increasein the operation speed of semiconductor devices used for CPU (CentralProcessing Unit), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) or the like, the amountof heat generated from the semiconductor devices have been increasedyear by year. The temperature of semiconductor devices is increasedalong with increase in the amount of generated heat, and this results ina problem such as erroneous operation.

Then, for avoiding occurrence of such a problem, various techniques fordissipating heat and cooling the semiconductor devices have beenproposed. For example, there has been proposed means of attaching a heatdiffusion plate (heat spreader) comprising a highly heat conductivemetal to a semiconductor device and attaching a heat sink having heatdissipation fins to the heat spreader. In this case, heat generated fromthe semiconductor device to be cooled is once diffused to the heatspreader and then dissipated by the heat sink.

Further, there has been also proposed means of interposing, between theheat spreader and the heat sink, a heat pipe or a vapor chamber in whicha working fluid is sealed in a tightly closed vessel and a capillarystructure (wick) is disposed to the inner wall and dissipating heat andcooling the semiconductor devices via the heat spreader by latent heatof evaporation of the working fluid. In this case, heat generated fromthe semiconductor devices is once diffused to the heat spreader, theheat pipe or the vapor chamber receives the heat from the heat spreaderand the working fluid is evaporated while depriving the latent heat.Then, when the vapors of the working fluid flow toward the lowtemperature side, the heat generated from the semiconductor devices isdiffused and, as a result, the heat generating body is cooled.

Patent Documents 1 and 2 are disclosed as the related art relevant tothe existent techniques described above.

PATENT DOCUMENT

[Patent Document 1] JP-A-2005-180871

[Patent Document 2] JP-A-2003-222481

In the heat dissipating component having a heat dissipating or heatconducting function as described above, highly heat conductive metals(for example, copper or aluminum) have been used as the material inorder to improve the heat dissipating efficiency. Further, in the heatpipe or the vapor chamber, a wick formed of a fine copper wire braid ora wick formed of a sintered body of copper powder is used to increasethe area of contact with the working fluid and improve heat dissipatingefficiency. However, since such a metal has prescribed heatconductivity, the heat dissipating efficiency cannot be improved furtherin view of the material and still leaves a room for improvement in thisrespect.

SUMMARY

Exemplary embodiments provide a method of manufacturing a metalcomposite material, a metal composite material and a method ofmanufacturing a heat dissipating component, and a heat dissipatingcomponent, which can improve the heat dissipating efficiency.

A method of manufacturing a metal composite material according to anexemplary embodiment includes:

an adhesion step of applying a mechanical impact force to a carbonmaterial and a metal powder at such an intensity as capable ofpulverizing the carbon material, thereby adhering the carbon material toa surface of the metal powder.

According to the method, a carbon material is adhered to the surface ofa metal powder in an adhesion step. Since the carbon material havinghigher heat conductivity than the metal powder is exposed to the surfaceof the metal composite material, the heat conductivity of the metalcomposite material can be improved.

Further, in the adhesion step, at least a portion of the carbon materialis pulverized and the hydrophilicity of the carbon material is improvedby the pulverization. Since the carbon material improved in thehydrophilicity is exposed to the surface of the metal compositematerial, the hydrophilicity of the metal composite material can beimproved. Accordingly, when the metal composite material is used as thewick for the heat pipe or the vapor chamber, the working fluid can bepenetrated also in narrow gaps and the area of contact with the workingfluid can be increased to obtain a large heat dissipating area. Thus,the heat dissipating efficiency can be improved.

A metal composite material according to an exemplary embodimentincludes:

a metal powder; and

a carbon material which is activated at its surface and thereby isprovided with hydrophilicity,

wherein the carbon material is adhered to the metal powder and theadhered carbon material is exposed to a portion of the surface of themetal powder.

With the constitution described above, the heat conductivity of themetal composite material can be improved by exposing the carbon materialhaving higher heat conductivity than the metal powder to the surface ofthe metal composite material. Further, since the carbon materialprovided with hydrophilicity is exposed to the surface of the metalcomposite material, the hydrophilicity of the metal composite materialcan be improved. Accordingly, when the metal composite material is usedas a wick of a heat pipe or a vapor chamber, a working fluid can bepenetrated also in narrow gaps and the area of contact of the workingfluid to obtain a large heat dissipating area. Thus, the heatdissipating efficiency can be improved.

A method of manufacturing a heat dissipating component according to anexemplary embodiment includes:

an adhesion step of applying a mechanical impact force to a carbonmaterial and a metal material to such an extent of intensity as capableof pulverizing the carbon material thereby forming a metal compositematerial where the carbon material is adhered to a surface of the metalpowder; and

a sintering step of disposing the metal composite material to a surfaceor an inner space of a heat dissipating component and heating the heatdissipating component, thereby adhering the metal composite material tothe surface or an inner wall surface of the heat dissipating component.

According to the method, a carbon material is adhered to the surface ofa metal powder in an adhesion step. Since the carbon material havinghigher heat conductivity than the metal powder is exposed to the surfaceof the metal composite material, the heat conductivity of the metalcomposite material can be improved. Further, in the adhesion step, atleast a portion of the carbon material is pulverized and thehydrophilicity of the carbon material is improved by the pulverization.Since the carbon material improved in the hydrophilicity is exposed tothe surface of the metal composite material, the hydrophilicity of themetal composite material can be improved. Then, in the sintering step,such metal composite material is adhering to the surface or the innerwall surface of the heat dissipating component, the heat conductivityand the hydrophilicity of the metal composite material can be improved.

A heat dissipating component according to an exemplary embodimentincludes:

a metal composite material adhered to a surface or an inner wall surfaceof the heat dissipating component,

where the metal composite material has a metal powder, and a carbonmaterial which is activated at its surface and thereby is provided withhydrophilicity, and the carbon material is adhered to the metal powder,and the adhered carbon material is exposed to a portion of the surfaceof the metal powder.

With the constitution described above, the heat conductivity of themetal composite material can be improved by exposing the carbon materialhaving higher heat conductivity than the metal powder to the surface ofthe metal composite material. Further, since the carbon materialprovided with hydrophilicity is exposed to the surface of the metalcomposite material, the hydrophilicity of the metal composite materialcan be improved. Furthermore, such metal composite material is adheringto the surface or the inner wall surface of the heat dissipatingcomponent, the heat conductivity and the hydrophilicity of the metalcomposite material can be improved.

According to the method of manufacturing a metal composite material, themetal composite material and the method of manufacturing the heatdissipating component, and the heat dissipating component, the heatdissipating efficiency can be improved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing a method of manufacturing a metalcomposite material.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing high speed collision device.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a cross sectional structure of ametal composite material after an adhesion step.

FIG. 4 is a scanning ion microscopic image of a cross sectionalstructure of a metal composite material after the adhesion step.

FIG. 5 is an ultra-high resolution FE-SEM image of the metal compositematerial after the adhesion step.

FIG. 6 is a scanning electron microscopic image of the metal compositematerial after a sublimation step.

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view showing a heat pipe.

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view showing a method of manufacturing aheat pipe.

FIGS. 9A and 9B are flow charts showing a method of manufacturing a heatdissipating component.

FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view showing a method of manufacturing awire material for a wick.

FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view showing a method of manufacturing aheat pipe.

FIG. 12 is a perspective cross sectional view showing grooves.

FIG. 13 is a cross sectional view showing a method of manufacturing avapor chamber.

FIG. 14 is a cross sectional view showing a method of manufacturing avapor chamber.

FIG. 15 is a cross sectional view showing a heat spreader.

FIG. 16 is a cross sectional view showing an example of the state ofusing the heat spreader.

FIGS. 17A to 17D are optical microscopic images upon dropping purewater.

FIG. 18 is a graph showing the result of measuring thermalcharacteristic of latent heat of vaporization.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A preferred embodiment is to be described with reference to FIG. 1 toFIG. 16.

(Metal Composite Material)

In a metal composite material of this embodiment, a carbon materialactivated at the surface and provided with hydrophilicity is adhered toa metal powder and the adhered carbon material is exposed to a portionof the surface of the metal composite material. Specifically, in themetal composite material, a carbon material pulverized by mechanicalenergy and a carbon material which is not pulverized yet (which will belater called as “not-yet-pulverized carbon material”) are adhered to thesurface of the metal powder and just below the surface of a metalpowder, and such carbon materials are exposed to a portion of thesurface of the metal composite material. More specifically, in the metalcomposite material, the surface is formed in a concavo-convex shape withthe carbon material described above and the crystal grains of the metalpowder.

As the metal powder, a powder of metal, for example, copper (Cu), silver(Ag), gold (Au), aluminum (Al), lead (Pb), tin (Sn), and indium (In), ora powder of an alloy (solder, etc.) containing at least one of suchmetals can be used. For the metal material, metal powders of anidentical kind and different grain sizes may be used in admixture. Byusing a metal powder of high heat conductivity, for example, a powder ofCu, Ag, Au, Al, etc., a metal composite material of higher heatconductivity can be obtained.

As the carbon material, amorphous carbon, carbon fiber, or nanocarboncan be used. As the nanocarbon, crystalline carbon materials such ascarbon nanotube (CNT), graphite, graphene, fullerene, and nanodiamondcan be used. The carbon materials may be used each alone or incombination of a plurality kinds of them. By using highly crystallinenanocarbon, for example, a carbon nanotube or graphite, a metalcomposite material of higher heat conductivity can be obtained.

The content of the carbon material based on the metal composite materialis, for example, 0.1 mass % to 5 mass %. The content of the carbonmaterial in the metal composite material can be measured bymorphological observation under ultra-high resolution power FE-SEM ortransmission type electron microscope or by elemental analysis or byanalysis according to JIS Z 2615 “general rules for determination ofcarbon in metallic materials”.

(Manufacturing Method of Metal Composite Material)

A method of manufacturing a metal composite material having theconstitution described above is to be described with reference to FIG. 1to FIG. 6.

The method of manufacturing a metal composite material includes a mixingstep of mixing a metal powder and a carbon material (step S1), anadhesion step of adhering the carbon material to the metal powder (S2),a classification step of classifying to remove not-adhered particles(step S3), and a sublimation step of partially subliming a metal powderthereby exposing a portion of the carbon material to the surface (stepS4). A method of manufacturing a metal composite material by using acopper powder as the metal powder and carbon nanotubes as the carbonmaterial is to be described.

(Mixing Step)

At first, in the mixing step, a copper powder and a carbon nanotube aremixed (step S1). In the step, while the mixing ratio of the copperpowder and the carbon nanotube is not restricted particularly, they aremixed, for example, such that 0.1 mass % to 5 mass % of carbon nanotubesare contained in the mixture. Further, while the shape and the grainsize of the particle of the copper powder are not restrictedparticularly, a copper powder having a grain size of 40 μm to 3 mm isused. With the mixing ratio and the grain size described above, thecarbon nanotubes can be preferably adhered to the copper powder in thenext adhesion step.

The carbon nanotube has a cylindrical structure comprising a graphitesheet in a hexagonal network shape (graphene). The carbon nanotube maybe single-wall carbon nanotube or multi-wall carbon nanotube. Further,it may be a fullerene-incorporated carbon nanotube. A manufacturingmethod of the carbon nanotube is not particularly restricted andincludes, for example, an arc discharge method, a laser ablation method,and a chemical vapor deposition method.

(Adhesion Step)

Then, in the adhesion step, mechanical impact is applied to the mixtureof the copper powder and the carbon nanotubes thereby adhering thecarbon nanotubes to the surface of the copper powder and in the insidejust below the surface of the copper powder (S2). The method of applyingthe mechanical impact includes, for example, a method of using a highspeed collision device 10 shown in FIG. 2. The structure of the highspeed collision device 10 is to be described at first.

The high speed collision device 10 has an impact chamber 12, a rotaryshaft 13 and a disk-like rotor 14. The impact chamber 12 comprises acylindrical stator 11 and covers (not illustrated) closing both endfaces of the stator 11. The disk-like rotor 14 is rotationally pivotedby the rotary shaft 13 in the impact chamber 12. A plurality of blades15 are secured radially to the circumference of the disk of the rotor14. Further, the high speed collision device 10 has a circulation tube16 opened at one end to a portion of the inner wall of the stator 11 andopened at the other end to a portion of the cover thereby forming aclosed circuit. A material hopper 17 for supplying a raw material isconnected to the circulation tube 16 via an on-off valve 18 and amaterial supply chute 19. Further, the high speed collision device 10has a discharge chute 21 which is opened and closed by a discharge valve20 provided to a portion of the stator 11. The discharge chute 21 isconnected to a powder recovery device 22 for recovering the powder aftertreatment.

Then, a treatment method in the adhesion step using the high speedcollision device 10 having the constitution described above is to bedescribed.

At first, in an atmosphere where carbon nanotubes are not put tooxidation combustion, for example, in an atmosphere of an inert gas(argon gas, etc.) or nitrogen gas, the copper powder and the carbonnanotubes mixed in the mixing step are supplied by the material supplychute 19 into the impact chamber 12. In this step, the rotor 14 isrotated by the rotary shaft 13 at a circumferential speed of about 50m/s to 150 m/s for 1 to 3 minutes by driving means (not illustrated) ina state of closing the on-off valve 18 and the discharge valve 20. Thus,the copper powder and the carbon nanotubes are scattered while beingrotated at a high speed in the impact chamber 12 and in this course,collide under rotation against the surface of the stator 11 and theblade 15. The copper powder and the carbon nanotubes are circulatedthrough the circulation tube 16 opened to the stator 11 and thensupplied again to the impact chamber 12. As described above, the copperpowder and the carbon nanotubes are circulated by a plurality of cyclesbetween the impact chamber 12 and the circulation tube 16 along with therotation of the rotor 14. Due to repetitive collision against the stator11 and the rotor 14 during the process, an intense mechanical energy isgenerated at the surface of the carbon nanotubes and a portion of thecarbon nanotubes is pulverized. In the thus pulverized carbon nanotubes,mechanical energy of pulverization, etc. is accumulated in the state ofthe chemical energy at the surface and, as a result, change of thephysicochemical property is induced to increase the surface activity(mechanochemical effect). By the mechanochemical effect, hydrophilicityis increased in the carbon nanotubes after pulverization.

During circulation between the impact chamber 12 and the circulationtube 16, an impact force between particles to each other is applied tothe copper powder and the carbon nanotubes in addition to the impactforce against the stator 11 and the blade 15 described above. Due to themechanical impact force, the carbon nanotubes are adhered to the surfaceof the copper powder and, further, the carbon nanotubes adhered to thesurface of the copper powder are hit by collision between the copperpowder to each other and the carbon nanotubes are buried just below thesurface of the copper powder. That is, the carbon nanotubes are adheredto the surface of the copper powder and just below the surface of thecopper powder by the mechanical impact force given by the rotation ofthe rotor 14. Thus, a metal composite material 1 comprising compositecarbon nanotubes and copper powder is formed, and an adhesion layer 2where the crystal grains of the copper powder and the carbon nanotubeare adhered is formed at the outermost surface of the metal compositematerial 1 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. As shown in FIG. 5,not-yet-pulverized carbon nanotubes and pulverized carbon nanotubes areburied in the adhesion layer 2. The region just below the surface of themetal composite material where the carbon nanotubes are buried (adhesionlayer 2) is in a range, for example, of about from 5 μm to 12 μm fromthe surface of the metal composite material 1. Further, as shown in FIG.3 and FIG. 4, a fine crystal structure 3 finely grained from mothercrystals of the copper powder by the mechanical impact force describedabove is formed from the side of the adhesion layer 2 toward the center.Further, the mother crystal structure 4 of the not pulverized copperpowder is formed from the side of the fine crystal structure 3 towardthe center.

Then, after lapse of a predetermined time, a sample containing the metalcomposite material 1 after the treatment is recovered through thedischarge chute 21 to the recovery device 22 by opening the dischargevalve 20 shown in FIG. 2.

In the adhesion step described above, since the carbon nanotubes areburied in the copper powder, detachment of the carbon nanotubes from thecopper powder is suppressed and a homogeneous composite material can beobtained in the subsequent step (sublimation step).

(Classification Step)

As shown in FIG. 1, for recovering only the metal composite material 1,samples other than the metal composite material 1 is classified andremoved in the next classification step (step 3). Specifically, notadhered carbon nanotubes, not adhered copper powder, and copper powderformed by adhesion of copper powder to each other are removed byclassification. The classification step can be performed, for example,by an elbow jet air classifier.

(Sublimation Step)

Then, in a sublimation step, the metal composite material 1 recovered bythe classification step is heated to sublimate the surface of the metalcomposite material 1, that is, a portion of copper in the adhesion layer2 (step 4). Specifically, the metal composite material 2 is heated in anatmosphere where the carbon nanotubes are not put to oxidativecombustion (for example, in vacuum, inert gas, or nitrogen gas) undersublimation condition for copper to sublimate a portion of copper in theadhesion layer 2. More specifically, the metal composite material 1 isheated, for example, in an atmosphere at vacuum degree of 1×10⁻³ Pa to1×10⁻⁴ Pa and at a temperature of 800° C. to 1100° C. in a vacuumfurnace to sublimate the portion of the copper in the adhesion layer 2and to expose the carbon nanotubes in the adhesion layer 2 to a portionof the surface of the metal composite metal 1 (for example, for about 1%to 70% of the surface area). The sublimation time is not particularlyrestricted and may be set such that the carbon nanotubes are exposed for1% to 70% of the surface of the metal composite material 1. The extentof the exposure of the carbon nanotubes in the metal composite material1 can be measured, for example, by texture observation by an ultra-highresolution power FE-SEM or an electron microscope.

As shown in FIG. 6, the metal composite material 1A obtained after thesublimation step described above is formed in a concavo-convex shape atthe surface thereof with the carbon nanotube and copper, and the surfacearea is increased more than that of the copper powder before it isformed into a composite state. Since carbon nanotubes having a heatconductivity about three to four times as high as copper are exposed tothe surface of the metal composite material, heat tends to transfer onthe surface of the metal composite material 1A and the heat conductivityof the metal composite material 1A can be improved outstandinglycompared with that of the copper powder before it is formed into acomposite state. Further, the carbon nanotubes exposed to the surface ofthe metal composite material contain the carbon nanotubes afterpulverization described above, that is, carbon nanotubes of highhydrophilicity. Accordingly, the hydrophilicity of the metal compositematerial 1A can be improved greatly compared with that of the copperpowder before it is formed into a composite state described above.Further, since the surface area is increased by concavo-convex shape ofthe surface of the metal composite material, the area of contact withthe working fluid can be extended greatly when the metal compositematerial 1A is applied, for example, to the heat pipe or the vaporchamber. Thus, the heat receiving efficiency and the heat dissipatingefficiency can be improved.

APPLICATION EXAMPLE

As has been described above, since the metal composite material 1A (ormetal composite material 1) is excellent in the heat conductivity andthe hydrophilicity, the material can be applied extensively to heatdissipating components having heat dissipating or heat conductivefunction such as heat pipe, vapor chamber, heat spreader, heat sink, orheat exchanger. Specific examples of applying the metal compositematerial 1A to such heat dissipating components are described below.

Application Example 1

At first, description is to be made to a case of applying the metalcomposite material 1A described above to a heat pipe.

As the material for the heat pipe, copper is used typically. As shown inFIG. 7, a heat pipe 30 has a structure in which a condensable fluid (forexample, water or alcohol) is sealed as a working fluid in a tightlyclosed container 31. The heat pipe 30 is constituted such that theworking fluid is evaporated in an evaporation portion by the externalinput of heat, the vapors are caused to flow to a condensation portionand then condensed by heat dissipation thereby transporting heat as thelatent heat of the working fluid. In the heat pipe 30, aftertransporting the heat to the condensation portion, the condensed workingfluid in the liquid phase is circulated to the evaporation portion by acapillary pressure of a wick 32. The wick comprises a wick member, forexample, powder sintered body, braids, bundles of or fine wires,grooves, etc. A method of using the metal composite material 1A to thewick member is to be described.

(Powder Sintered Body)

At first, in the disposing step shown in FIG. 9A, (step S5), the metalcomposite material 1 recovered in the classification step (S3) isdisposed in an inner space 33 of the container 31 sealed at one end (forexample, end on the side of the evaporation portion) as shown in FIG. 8.Successively, in the sintering step shown in FIG. 9A (step S6), thecontainer 31 where the metal composite material 1 is disposed is heatedby a known sintering method under the sublimation condition for copperthereby sublimating a portion of copper in the adhesion layer 2 of themetal composite material 1 (refer to FIG. 3) and sintering the metalcomposite materials 1 to each other. Thus, a portion of the carbonnanotubes in the metal composite material 1 is exposed to a portion ofthe surface of the metal composite material 1 to form a metal compositematerial 1A where the surface is formed as a concavo-convex shape withthe carbon nanotubes and copper. Further, copper exposed to the surfaceof the metal composite material 1A are bonded to each other to form asintered body of the metal composite material 1A. In this process, sincethe inner wall surface 31A of the container 31 is formed of copper, whenthe sintered body of the metal composite material 1A is formed, thesintered body can be adhered to the inner wall surface 31A of thecontainer 31 simultaneously. In other words, a wick comprising thesintered body of the metal composite material 1A can be formed to theinner wall surface 31A of the container 31.

The sintering step described above can be performed by a known sinteringmethod, for example, a pulsative electric current sintering method, hotpress method, vacuum sintering method, gas pressure sintering method,hot isostatic pressure sintering method, etc. The sintering step isperformed, preferably, in vacuum or in an inert gas atmosphere. Further,sintering conditions such as sintering temperature may be properlydetermined in accordance with the sintering method to be adopted, thekind of the metal powder to be used, the sublimation conditions for themetal powder to be adopted (vacuum degree, temperature, etc.).

Then, after the sintering step, the heat pipe 30 can be manufactured byinjecting a working fluid into the container 31, evacuating the insideof the container 31, and sealing the end on the side of thecondensation.

Modified Embodiment

In the application method described above, the metal composite material1 recovered in the classification step (S3) is disposed in the container31. However, as shown in FIG. 9B, the metal composite material 1A afterthe sublimation step (S4) may be disposed in the container 31.Specifically, in the disposing step (S7) shown in FIG. 9B, the metalcomposite material 1A obtained in the sublimation step (S4) is disposedin the inner space 33 of the container 31 sealed at one end as shown inFIG. 8. In this case, in the sintering step (S8) which will be performedlater, the metal composite material 1A is adhered to the inner wallsurface 31A of the container 31 by heating the container 31 where themetal composite material 1A is disposed by a known sintering method. Inthis process, since the copper exposed to the surface of the metalcomposite material 1A are bonded to each other to form the sintered bodyof the metal composite material 1A, the sintered body of the metalcomposite material 1A can be adhered to the inner wall surface 31A ofthe container 31.

(Braid or Bundle of Fine Wires)

As shown in FIG. 10, in a state of supplying the metal compositematerial 1 recovered by the classification step to the inner surface ofthe drawing die 40, a pure copper wire 41 is formed into a fine wire bydrawing process. Thus, the copper wire is thinned into a desireddiameter while the metal composite material 1 is buried to the surfaceof the copper wire 41. In this process, the metal composite material 1also functions as a solid lubricant in the drawing process.

Then, in a continuous vacuum furnace, the thinned copper wire 41 isheated under the sublimation condition for copper, to sublimate aportion of copper of the copper wire 41 (specifically, the surface ofthe metal composite material 1 buried in the copper wire 41). Thus, aportion of the carbon nanotubes in the metal composite material 1 isexposed to a portion of the surface of the copper wire 41 and thesurface of the copper wire 41 is formed into a concavo-convex shape withthe carbon nanotubes and copper. That is, the metal composite material1A is formed at the surface of the copper wire 41.

Successively, a wick member comprising a braid can be formed by braidingthe thus formed copper wires 41 (fine wires) into a mesh state. Further,the copper wire 41 (fine wire) formed as described above can also beused as the wick member comprising the bundle of fine wires. The wickmember comprising the braid and the wick member comprising the bundle ofthe fine wires can be used also as the wick member for a vapor chamberto be described below.

Then, the wick member comprising the braid or the wick member comprisingthe bundle of fine wires is disposed in the container sealed at one end.Successively, by heating the container, the wick member is adhered tothe inner wall surface of the container. Then, a heat pipe having thewick member comprising the braid and the wick member comprising thebundle of fine wires can be manufactured by injecting a working fluidinto the container and evacuating the inside of the container andsealing the other end.

(Groove)

As shown in FIG. 11, a copper tube 50 is set to a die 51, a plug 52 usedfor groove fabrication, that is, a plug 52 having grooves and ridges atthe outer peripheral surface is inserted into the copper tube 50.Successively, in a state of supplying the metal composite material 1recovered by the classification step to the gap between the plug 52 andthe copper tube 50, drawing or extruding process is applied to thecopper tube 50. Thus, as shown in FIG. 12, grooves 50G corresponding tothe grooves and the ridges of the plug 52 are formed to the inner wallof the copper tube 50. At the same time, as shown in FIG. 11, the metalcomposite material 1 is rubbed into the grooves 50G.

Then, in the vacuum furnace, a portion of the surface of copper in themetal composite material 1 rubbed into the grooves 50G of the coppertube 50 is sublimated and a portion of the carbon nanotubes in the metalcomposite material 1 is exposed to a portion of the surface of thegrooves 50G. Thus, a wick of grooves comprising the metal compositematerial 1A where the surface is formed into a concavo-convex shape withthe carbon nanotubes and copper is formed to the inner wall 50A of thecopper tube 50.

The copper tube formed as described above is cut into a predeterminedlength, one end of the copper tube 50 is sealed, a working fluid isinjected into the copper tube 50, the inside of the copper tube 50 isevacuated, and the other end of the copper tube 50 is sealed. Thus, aheat pipe having a wick of the grooves comprising the metal compositematerial 1A can be manufactured.

Application Embodiment 2

Then, description is to be made to an example of applying the metalcomposite material 1A described above to a vapor chamber.

As the material for the vapor chamber, copper is used typically. Thevapor chamber is a flat heat pipe. Therefore, the vapor chamber has astructure substantially identical with the heat pipe that transportsheat due to phase change between evaporation and condensation of aworking fluid sealed in a container. The vapor chamber has a wick forpromoting circulation of the working fluid in the same manner as theheat pipe. A method of manufacturing a vapor chamber having a wickcomprising a sintered body of the metal composite material 1A is to bedescribed.

At first, as shown in FIG. 13, the metal composite material 1 recoveredin the classification step is disposed in an internal space of a lowercontainer part 60 and an upper container part 61 (refer to FIG. 14. InFIG. 13, only the lower container part 60 is illustrated). Successively,when the lower container part 60 and the upper container part 61 areheated by a known sintering method under the sublimation condition forcopper, a portion of copper in the metal composite material 1 issublimated and the metal composite materials 1A are sintered to eachother (sintering step). Thus, a portion of the carbon nanotubes in themetal composite material 1 is exposed to a portion of the surface of themetal composite material 1 and, as shown in FIG. 14, a metal compositematerial 1A where the surface is formed into a concavo-convex shape withthe carbon nanotubes and copper is formed. Further, copper exposed tothe surface of the metal composite material 1A are bonded to each otherto form a sintered body of the metal composite material 1A. In thisprocess, since the inner wall surface 60A of the lower container part 60and the inner wall surface 61A of the upper container 61 are formed ofcopper, when the sintered body of the metal composite material 1A isformed, the sintered body can be adhered to the inner wall surface 60Aof the lower container part 60 and the inner wall surface 61A of theupper container part 61 simultaneously. In other words, the wickcomprising the sintered body of the metal composite material 1A can beformed to the inner wall surface 60A of the lower container part 60 andthe inner wall surface 61A of the upper container part 61.

Then, as shown in FIG. 14, the outer periphery of the lower containerpart 60 and the outer periphery of the upper container part 61 arebonded except for the supplying port of the working fluid (notillustrated) by a known method to form a container 62. Successively, aworking fluid is injected through the supplying port into the container62 in an amount about 10% to 50% for the volume of the container 62.Then, a vapor chamber 63 having the wick comprising the sintered body ofthe metal composite material 1A can be manufactured by evacuating theinside of the container 62 and sealing the supplying port.

Modified Embodiment

In the application method described above, the metal composite material1 recovered in the classification step (step S3) is disposed in thecontainer parts 60, 61. However, the metal composite material 1A afterthe sublimation step (S4) may be disposed in the container parts 60, 61in the same manner as the method shown in FIG. 9B.

Application Embodiment 3

Then, description is to be made to an example of using the metalcomposite material 1A described above to a heat spreader.

A heat spreader is a heat diffusing plate for releasing heat generatedfrom the semiconductor device during operation to ambient air. At first,the structure of the heat spreader is to be described.

As shown in FIG. 15, a heat spreader 70 has a structure mainlycomprising a plate part 71 formed into a plate shape and a side wall 72formed integrally to the periphery of the plate portion 71. The plateportion 71 and the side wall portion 72 define a concave portion 73. Asshown in FIG. 16, the bottom 73A of the concave portion 73 of the heatspreader 70 is disposed so as to be in contact with an outer surface ofa semiconductor surface 80 (non-device surface), and the side wallportion 72 is fixed on a package 81. For example, a vapor chamber 82 isattached to the upper surface 71A of the plate portion 71 of the heatspreader 70 and a heat sink 83 having heat sink fins 83A is attached onthe vapor chamber 82. For the material of the heat spreader 70, copper(Cu) is used typically and, further, nickel (Ni) plating is applied onthe surface thereof.

The constitution shown in FIG. 16 is an example of showing the state ofusing the heat spreader 70. For example, the heat sink 83 may beattached directly to the upper surface 71A of the heat spreader 70 whileomitting the vapor chamber 82, or the vapor chamber 82 and the heat sink83 may also be omitted.

Then, a method of using the metal composite material 1A to the heatspreader 70 constituted as described above is to be described.

At first, as shown in FIG. 15, grooves 74 are fabricated each for adepth of about 0.1 mm to 1 mm at a predetermined pitch to the uppersurface 71A of the heat spreader 70. The metal composite material 1recovered in the classification step described above is filled in thegrooves 74. In this step, the metal composite material 1 may bedeposited and coated on the upper surface 71A of the heat spreader 70 bya cold spay method.

Successively, the metal composite material 1 is rubbed into the uppersurface 71A including the inside of the grooves 74 by friction stirwelding to adhere the metal composite material 1 to the upper surface71A. Then, by heating the heat spreader 70 in which the metal compositematerial 1 is adhered in a vacuum furnace under the sublimationcondition for copper, a portion of copper in the metal compositematerial 1 is sublimated to expose a portion of the carbon nanotubes inthe metal composite material 1 to the upper surface 71A of the heatspreader 70. Thus, the metal composite material 1A where the surface isformed into a concavo-convex shape with the carbon nanotubes and coppercan be formed to the upper surface 71A of the heat spreader 70.

Application Embodiment 4

Then, description is to be made to an example of using the metalcomposite material 1A to an ambient air heat dissipating flat plate.

In the same manner as in the heat spreader described above, grooves fora depth of about 0.1 mm to 1 mm are fabricated at a predetermined pitchto the surface of a copper plate, and a metal composite material 1 isfilled in the grooves. Successively, the metal composite material 1 isrubbed into the surface of the copper plate by friction stir welding toadhere the metal composite material 1 to the surface of the copperplate. Then, copper in the metal composite material 1 adhered to thecopper plate is sublimated in vacuum to expose a portion of the carbonnanotubes in the metal composite material 1 to a portion of the surfaceof the copper plate, thereby forming a metal composite material 1A wherethe surface is formed into a concavo-convex shape with the carbonnanotubes and copper to the surface of the copper plate.

The metal composite material 1A may also be formed to the surface of thecopper plate by laying the metal composite material 1 throughout thesurface of the copper plate and hot press bonding the same by vacuum hotpress. In this case, the copper plate, etc. may also be heated, forexample, by supplying a high current in a pressurized state. This canimprove the manufacturing efficiency.

Other Application Embodiment

In products where heat generation gives significant effect on the lifeand the reliability of products, a technique of cooling and dissipatingheat more efficiently has been demanded generally. For example, byapplying the metal composite materials 1, 1A to a heat sink plateprovided to an LED bulb, the LED bulb can release heat and can be cooledefficiently. This can extend the life of the LED bulb.

Further, in existent small-sized projectors, since heat dissipationgiving an effect on the product life cannot be effected sufficiently,they are used while suppressing the brightness. On the contrary, sinceheat can be dissipated sufficiently by adopting the heat dissipatingcomponents using the metal composite materials 1, 1A of this embodimentto the small-sized projectors, it is expected that suppression of thebrightness is no more necessary.

Further, heat conductivity or electric conductivity can be improved alsoin bonding metals or alloys such as solder or indium used for jointingmetals by sintering the metal composite material 1, 1A described aboveat a high pressure to large plane or flat plane. Therefore, it is alsopossible to manufacture a bonding member used for jointing metals whichis improved in the heat conductivity or electric conductivity.

The embodiments described above can provide the following advantageouseffects.

(1) In the metal composite material 1, 1A, carbon nanotubes having heatconductivity three times or four times as high as that of copper areexposed to the surface of the metal composite material. Accordingly,heat tends to transfer on the surface of the metal composite material 1,1A, and the heat conductivity of the metal composite material 1, 1A canbe improved outstandingly compared with that of the copper powder beforecomposition.(2) The carbon nanotubes exposed to the surface of the metal compositematerial contain carbon nanotubes which are pulverized and therebyactivated at the surface, that is, carbon nanotubes having highhydrophilicity. Accordingly, the hydrophilicity of the metal compositematerial 1, 1A can be improved greatly compared with that of the copperpowder before composition. Thus, when the metal composite material 1, 1Ais used, for example, to the wick of a heat pipe or a vapor chamber, theworking fluid can be penetrated even in narrow gaps and a large heatreceiving and heat dissipating area can be obtained. This can improvethe heat receiving efficiency and the heat dissipating efficiency.(3) The surface of the metal composite material 1A is formed into aconcavo-convex shape with the carbon nanotubes and copper. Thus, sincethe surface area of the concavo-convex shape 1A is increased, the areaof contact with the working fluid can be increased greatly when themetal composite material 1A is used to the wick of the heat pipe or thevapor chamber. Thus, the heat receiving efficiency and the heatdissipating efficiency can be improved.(4) By laying the metal composite material 1, 1A where the carbonnanotubes are exposed at the surface throughout the ambient air heatdissipating portion, the degree of emitting ultra-red rays is increasedand it is possible to easily release the heat into the ambient air.(5) By using the metal composite material 1, 1A to various kinds of heatdissipating components, heat can be dissipated efficiently from the heatgenerating body. Accordingly, this can contribute to improve thereliability and extend the life of the heat generating body. Further,since the size of the heat dissipating components can be decreased, itcan contribute also to the size-reduction of device.

The embodiments described above can be practiced in the followingproperly modified embodiments.

-   -   The mixing step in the embodiments described above may be        omitted. In this case a metal powder and a carbon material may        be mixed, for example, in a high speed collision device 10 uses        in the adhesion step.    -   The classification step in the embodiments described above may        be omitted.    -   The sublimation step in the embodiments described above may be        omitted.    -   The number of rotation of the rotor 14 in the high speed        collision device 10 in the embodiments is not particularly        restricted. That is, the number of rotation of the rotor 14 may        be such a number of rotation as capable of providing, to the        metal powder and the carbon material, a mechanical impact force        at a strength of pulverizing a portion of the carbon material        and adhering the carbon material to the metal powder.        Accordingly, the number of rotation of the rotor 14 may be        determined appropriately in accordance with the kind (hardness,        etc.) of the metal powder and the kind (hardness, etc.) of the        carbon material to be used.    -   The device used in the adhesion step in the embodiments        described above is not particularly restricted to the high speed        collision device 10 in FIG. 2. That is, the constitution of the        device is not particularly restricted providing that the device        can provide, to the metal powder and the carbon material, a        mechanical impact force at a strength enough to pulverize a        portion of the carbon material and adhere the carbon material to        the metal powder.

EXAMPLE

The embodiments described above are more specifically described withreference to examples and comparative examples.

Example 1

A copper powder of 100 μm of average grain size, and carbon nanotubeshaving an average diameter of 10 nm to 25 nm and an average length of 2μm to 10 μm were prepared and weighed such that the carbon nanotubeswere contained by 1.0 mass % in the mixture of the copper powder and thecarbon nanotubes. The mechanical impact force was applied to the mixtureusing the high speed collision device 10 shown in FIG. 2 while rotatingthe rotor 14 at a circumferential speed of 70 m/s for 3 min in an argongas atmosphere. The metal composite material obtained by the adhesionstep was recovered by classification.

On the other hand, the metal composite material recovered as describedabove was disposed in a concave portion of a heat spreader sized 30×30mm and having 3 mm thickness for the plate portion. The heat spreaderwas placed in a vacuum furnace and a portion of copper was sublimatedunder the sublimation condition at a vacuum degree of 1×10⁻³ Pa and at atemperature of 900° C. to expose the carbon nanotubes by 50% for thesurface.

For the heat spreader manufactured as described above, wettability towater was evaluated. The result is shown in FIG. 17. Further, thethermal characteristics of the latent heat of evaporation of the heatspreader manufactured as described above was measured. The result isshown in FIG. 18.

(Evaluation for Wettability)

In ambient air, the state at the bottom of the concave portion of theheat spreader in Example 1 was observed when 20 μl of pure water wasdropped to be bottom (refer to FIG. 17A). As a comparative example, when20 μl of pure water was dropped to the surface of each of a copper plate(refer to FIG. 17B), a sintered body of copper powder (refer to FIG.17C), and a sintered body of a copper oxide powder (refer to FIG. 17D)in ambient air, the state of each of the surfaces was observed.

As apparent from FIGS. 17B to 17D, pure water was in a dome shape or aspherical shape on each of the surfaces, the angle of contact withdropped pure water was large, and wettability to pure water was poor inthe comparative example. Further, in the comparative examples, an oxidefilm was formed instantly due to exposure in the ambient air and thewettability was further worsened by the oxide film.

On the contrary, in Example 1, dropped pure water was instantly suckedto the inside of the heat spreader and it was confirmed that thewettability to pure water, that is, the hydrophilicity was improved.This is considered that the hydrophilicity of the carbon nanotubespulverized in the adhesion step was improved and, the carbon nanotubeswere exposed at the bottom of the concave portion of the heat spreader.Further, in Example 1, deterioration of the wettability was notconfirmed even when the same measurement was repeated in ambient air.That is, in Example 1, the surface of the heat spreader was not oxidizedeven when the surface was exposed to the ambient air. This is consideredthat oxidation is prevented mechanochemically by the carbon nanotubespresent on the surface of the heat spreader.

Measurement for Thermal Characteristic Comparative Example 1

A heat spreader made of copper sized 30×30 mm and having a thickness of3 mm for the plate portion was used for the measurement.

(Measuring Method)

In a state of directing the bottom of the concave portion upward andopening the upper portion to ambient air in the heat spreader of eachexample, 1000 μl of pure water was dropped to the bottom of the concaveportion at a room temperature. Then, a heater block in contact with thesurface of the heat spreader on the side opposite to the bottom of theconcave portion of the heat spreader was heated by a heater (100° C.),to measure the temperature change inside the heater block.

(Result of Measurement)

As apparent from FIG. 18, it can be seen that the temperature in astable region, that is, a period in which the dropped water isevaporated (about 210 sec to 450 sec) is lower by 14° C. to 24° C.compared with that in Comparative Example 1, and the thermalcharacteristic is improved. Further, it can be seen that the time forcompletely evaporating the dropped pure water in Example 1 (about 450sec) is greatly shortened and the heat dissipating efficiency is greatlyimproved compared with in Comparative Example 1.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of manufacturing a metal compositematerial comprising: an adhesion step of applying a mechanical impactforce to a carbon material and a metal powder at such an intensity ascapable of pulverizing the carbon material, thereby adhering the carbonmaterial to a surface of the metal powder; and a classification step ofclassifying and removing powder other than the metal powder to which thecarbon material has been adhered after the adhesion step.
 2. The methodof manufacturing a metal composite material according to claim 1,further comprising: a sublimation step of sublimating a portion of metalon the surface of the metal powder after the adhesion step, therebyexposing the adhered carbon material to a portion of the surface of themetal powder.
 3. The method of manufacturing a metal composite materialaccording to claim 1, wherein the mechanical impact force is generatedby rotating the carbon material and the metal powder at such acircumferential speed that the carbon material can be pulverized.
 4. Themethod of manufacturing a metal composite material according to claim 1,wherein the metal powder is a powder of a metal selected from a groupconsisting of copper, silver, gold, aluminum, and indium, or a powder ofan alloy containing at least one of the metals selected from the group.5. The method of manufacturing a metal composite material according toclaim 1, wherein the carbon material is at least one of members selectedfrom the group consisting of carbon nanotube, graphite, graphene,fullerene, and nanodiamond.
 6. A method of manufacturing a heatdissipating component comprising: an adhesion step of applying amechanical impact force to a carbon material and a metal powder in suchan extent of intensity as capable of pulverizing the carbon materialthereby forming a metal composite material, wherein the carbon materialis adhered to a surface of the metal powder; and a sintering step ofdisposing the metal composite material to a surface or an inner space ofa heat dissipating component and heating the heat dissipating component,thereby adhering the metal composite material to the surface or an innerwall surface of the heat dissipating component.
 7. The method ofmanufacturing a heat dissipating component according to claim 6, furthercomprising: a sublimation step of sublimating a portion of metal of asurface of the metal composite material after the adhesion step, therebyexposing the adhered carbon material to a portion of the surface of themetal composite material.
 8. The method of manufacturing a heatdissipating component according to claim 6, wherein the metal powder isa powder of a metal selected from a group consisting of copper, silver,gold, aluminum, and indium, or a powder of an alloy containing at leastone of the metals selected from the group.
 9. The method ofmanufacturing a heat dissipating component according to claim 6, whereinthe carbon material is at least one of members selected from the groupconsisting of carbon nanotube, graphite, graphene, fullerene, andnanodiamond.